The Christmas List
by A.Boleyn
Summary: Utter DL holiday fluff. He wanted to cheer her up for the holidays, so one by one they'll check them off. Epilogue added, complete.
1. Prologue

**A/N: **Just some light and fluffy DL Christmas fun. A departure from my most recent angsty, heavy fics. We could all use some fluff. Will be about 5 chapters when complete.**  
Disclaimer**: Danny and Lindsay aren't mine, the ideas are, not beta'd, may contain peanuts, hazardous to humans and domesticated animals.  
**Rating: **K+

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**The Christmas List**

Prologue

Lindsay squeezed her way past hordes of people in the department store: grouchy husbands, strollers with screaming kids, grandmothers racing towards every "clearance" sign, as intent as a quarterback headed for the touchdown. The Christmas carols blasting over the loudspeaker weren't the soft, old-fashioned classics she remembered from childhood, but instead were techno, pop-infused remakes that made her feel anything but jolly.

Her goal had been to find something for Danny for Christmas – or, at least, an _idea _of what to get. What to buy for a boyfriend of less than two months? Everything she found seemed either too personal (cologne or boxer shorts) or too _impersonal_ (pen sets and gloves).

She had opted to work Thanksgiving this year – Danny had plans with his family, and while she didn't want to spend the day alone, she also didn't want him to feel pressured to drag her along. Signing up to work, she figured, would make it easier for both of them. So she spent the day analyzing trace samples, then dined on the leftover turkey and pie Danny brought to her apartment that evening. Today he was working, leaving her to wander about the New York streets on Black Friday. She thought of the irony if he were called to a scene, only to find his girlfriend the victim – trampled by shoppers dashing towards a sale.

Last Christmas she had learned that the variety available in New York was almost a curse. In Montana, buying gifts meant hitting up the local Wal-Mart. Here, her choices were Barney's or Sak's or Macy's, among others, each with hundreds of possible gifts. She simply couldn't make up her mind. Now, as she surveyed the dancing snowman figurines and ribbon-garnished tins of nuts, she experienced the same overwhelming feeling. The last straw was a teddy bear with a purple t-shirt that read, "You're My Snuggle Bear". Fighting a wave of nausea, Lindsay turned to the store's exit. _I'll order something online_, she thought, heading for the subway.

Danny would be home from work now, hopefully making them a nice dinner. The trip to his place was growing familiar, a feeling she quite liked. She liked knowing which train to take, the name of the newspaper stand next to his building, the number of steps to his apartment. It brought her a sense of security. She had been going through a rough time lately; dealing with old emotions and memories that were invading her new life. She was determined not to let it affect her first holiday with Danny, but the morose tone was settling over her anyway.

Finally outside Danny's door, she knocked, then waited for the muffled "Come in!" that always followed. Inside, she slipped off her coat, noticing a marvelous smell emanating from the kitchen.

"Why do you still bother to knock, anyway?" Danny called, as he prodded something in the oven.

Lindsay shrugged. "We learn these things called 'manners' growing up in the country," she tried to joke, but was unable to keep the scowl from her face. Danny was approaching her, and in an instant she dropped the façade. "It's official – I'm not celebrating Christmas this year."

He caught her up a in bear-hug, one so tight she thought she might crack in two… but didn't mind. "Nah, you don't mean that," he said, pressing a soft kiss to her temple.

"Yes, I do." The combination of his soft lips and bristly stubble made her smile in spite of her mood. Sometimes she felt the need to pinch herself, because she was finally experiencing all the things she had dreamed about doing with Danny. The spine-tingling, toe-curling pleasure of it all was simply unreal.

"Why are you such a grinch?" he asked. "I take it shopping was a bust?"

"It was a nightmare," she muttered as she rested her head on his shoulder, enjoying another sense of blissful familiarity.

"Did you find anything for me?" he taunted, his eyes twinkling mischievously.

Lindsay made a sour face. "No luck at all. Can't you give me some ideas?"

Danny looked down at her, his face softening. "Nah, I'm good, I already got what I wanted. You agreeing to give me a chance was my present."

She grinned sheepishly. "Just a 'chance'? It's not like you're on a probation period or something."

"So you're awarding me tenure already, huh?" he cracked. "Anyway, what's been the matter with you lately?"

"I'm just not in the Christmas spirit." Lindsay extracted herself from his embrace, moving towards the kitchen and the bottle of white wine Danny now kept around specifically for her.

"Why not?" he pressed, following closely behind her. "Don't tell me that a few crowded stores is the only reason you're down in the dumps."

"It's just… _stuff_ weighing on me. And Christmas, it's just not what it used to be. It's not like when you're a kid." She sighed wistfully, taking a swig directly from the bottle before pouring a glass. "You know what it's like to be a child at Christmas – everything's magic. It's like… all the Christmas carols come to life."

"What? Like chestnuts roasting on an open fire and all that crap?" Danny asked.

"Yes, all that crap. I _like_ that crap. That cheesy, sentimental… _crap_."

Danny was quiet for a moment. "So let's do it!" he announced triumphantly.

"Do what?"

"All that stuff. All that ridiculously corny stuff you do at Christmas time. Make our own traditions, for our first Christmas together."

Lindsay felt her heart lift at the word 'together'. They _were_ together, and that in itself would make it a Christmas that far surpassed any other.

"I know you've been gloomy," Danny went on. "I'm happier than I've ever been, now that I have you, so I want to return the favor. I want to make you as happy as you've made me." He grabbed a pen and pad of paper from his table. "All that stuff from Christmases when you were a kid? Make a list."

A smile crept across Lindsay's face. "Will we do them all?"

"Every one."

And so she wrote.

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First Up: Gingerbread, coming soon! 


	2. Gingerbread

**A/N: **Thanks so much for those reviews of the prologue. As I said last chapter, this innocent fluff feels 'alien' to me, given my angst ventures as of late. Here is the next installment - same disclosure and raiting applies.

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The Christmas List **  
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**Gingerbread**

Lindsay's apartment was filled with the rich, spicy aroma of fresh-baked gingerbread. She watched in amusement as Danny sat at her kitchen table, contorting his face in concentration as he whipped together butter cream frosting. Twenty-three items had made it to her Christmas list. The first three had been simple enough – hang mistletoe, drink hot cocoa (with whipped cream!) every day, put a wreath on the front door. Number four, "build a gingerbread house", required a bit more effort and preparation. Despite his lack of confectionary creativity, Danny had scoured the corner market the night before for all the necessary ingredients. His dedication to their project – to _her_ - was enough to lift Lindsay's spirits. She found herself humming _Walking in a Winter Wonderland_ under her breath and tapping her toes as they busied themselves about the kitchen.

"Alright, I think it's good," Danny declared with one last forceful stir, holding the bowl of frosting towards Lindsay for inspection.

"Let me check." She sat down next to him and dipped one finger into the bowl, scrutinizing its consistency. She wiped some of the fluffy concoction on his lower lip, then leaned over to lick it off in a slow, tantalizing manner.

"Perfect," she whispered in his ear. "You have _skills_. But I knew that already."

He smiled. "You know, I could get used to this baker's assistant thing."

"But you still won't wear the apron?" Lindsay asked, gesturing to the ruffled red number hanging over a chair. Danny's glare answered her question. "Okay, okay!" she laughed, getting up to retrieve the gingerbread that was cooling on top of the oven.

When she returned with the tray, she also carried a bowl full of gumdrops, candy and sprinkles for decorating the house. First, they used a pastry brush to apply thick lines of frosting along the edges of the gingerbread slices, the cement that would bond the pieces of the house together. Before long, a floor, four walls and an arched roof were standing, albeit unsteadily.

"I'll take a picture of it when we're done," Lindsay said proudly. "Our first gingerbread house."

"We should make it into a miniature version of the lab," Danny breathed thoughtfully, carefully applying rows of chocolate chips to create windows.

Lindsay, meanwhile, was sprinkling sugar over the roof to serve as snow. "Complete with a certain stairwell?" she inquired mischievously, referring to the dark hideaway they used several times a day for 'unprofessional' touching.

The reminder caused Danny to grin, and he took his concentration away from the construction task. Still bent over the gingerbread house, they leered at each other, remembering their secret ritual. All the steamy kissing and groping that occurred there, if discovered, would surely get them fired. Their hands accidentally bumped, and in an instant, the gingerbread house toppled over.

Neither said a word as they gazed mournfully at the sugary rubble between them. The candied accents had spilled across the table top, and the once-solid walls of gingerbread had cracked into pieces. Appropriately, _Silent Night_ drifted across the room from the radio.

Danny gulped. "Oops."

"Oh well," Lindsay said smoothly, brushing her hands on her apron. "It's not about the finished product, it's about the_ experience_, right? We've got lots of other things to do, anyway." She studied the rumpled paper before her.

"So are you going to tell me what else is on that list of yours?" Danny asked suspiciously. "So I can prepare for whatever comes next?"

Lindsay grinned broadly. "Nope."

He grabbed the spatula he had used to apply the frosting, which still contained a generous-sized glob, and held the end back with his finger, catapult-style.

"If you don't want to be wearing frosting in about five seconds, you'd better tell me what's on that list."

Lindsay leapt up from her seat, the creased paper firmly in her grasp. "You know that tale about the little gingerbread man who runs away before anyone can eat him?" she asked.

Danny raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Um, no."

Lindsay smirked, slowly rising from her seat. "He says, 'You can't catch me!'" With that, she took off across the kitchen in a mad dash, of which Danny immediately took chase. They circled the table multiple times, challenging each other with playful glares. She narrowly escaped his grasp as she darted into the living room, where she then paused to strategize her next move. It occurred to her then just how silly they looked; chasing each other like children, standing there huffing and puffing with just a sofa separating them. However, her hesitation was then her downfall, as Danny dove across the back of the sofa, tackling her and pulling her down along with him. They tumbled about playfully for a moment until Lindsay regained control, propping herself up on Danny's chest as he lay beneath her.

"Gotcha," he announced, his hands firmly gripping on either side of her hips to support her. "So if one catches the gingerbread man, what's the reward? A nibble?" He nuzzled and nipped at her neck.

"Oooh, then I guess _I'm_ the winner either way," Lindsay laughed as she leaned down to place a soft kiss on his lips. Danny, however, turned away in a pout of frustration.

"I want to know what's on that list," he whined. "I have to make sure you didn't come up with something totally crazy."

Lindsay shook her head. "This was your idea," she pointed out, biting her lip to avoid giggling. "You said we would do everything – no conditions. It's too late to back out now."

He grunted. "Just so you know, I won't be sitting on Santa's lap at the mall." Suddenly, he rolled out from underneath her and flipped Lindsay to her back, pinning her under him. "Give me the list," he demanded. "I don't think you're in the best position to argue with me right now, anyway."

With a melodramatic sigh, Lindsay finally pulled the wrinkled paper from her pocket.

"Oh, this?" she laughed, dangling it in front of his nose. "This isn't the _list_. This is the gingerbread recipe!"

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_Up next: O Tannenbaum _


	3. O Tannenbaum

**A/N: **_So sorry for the delay in updating! This is such a crazy time of year, but I intent to have this wrapped up before or on Christmas day. ) It's been hard to invest myself fully in this fic, so I'm not especially pleased with it. Methinks after the new year I will return to heavy-emotional stuff. :P Thank you for still reading! Same disclaimer mumbo-jumbo applies. _

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**O Tannenbaum**

"How are we going to get one of these things up to my apartment?"

Lindsay stood surveying the rows upon rows of fir trees that stretched on for acres. It seemed as if they had walked the entire lot searching for _just _the right one. The white pine in front of her was seemingly perfect - glorious with its fluffy spread of icy-green needles; no gaps or naked branches. It was only about six feet tall, large enough to make a presence, but small enough to transport. She could visualize it in the corner of her living room, covered with bright lights and sparkling tinsel. The question was, however, would it survive the two flights of steps up to her apartment? She looked to Danny, waiting for his answer. The whole list thing was his idea, after all.

"Erm," Danny stuttered. "Well, they have some nice artificial ones inside… in boxes. You know, small boxes… easy to carry. Just takes a few minutes to assemble it."

Lindsay shook her head. "How many Christmas songs talk about putting together a plastic tree? No, it's all about picking a real, _live _tree, and hauling it home." She inhaled deeply, filling her lungs with the crisp scent of balsam.

Danny shrugged, his trademarked sign of submissive agreement. They had managed to cover everything on the list thus far, so why stop now? 'Pick out a Christmas tree' was number nine. After the misfortune with the gingerbread, they had breezed through numbers five through eight: writing their names with glitter on stockings, handing out candy canes at the lab, buying a chocolate advent calendar, and making a centerpiece of holly boughs. "Okay, I guess we'll figure something out. You sure you don't want to look around more?"

"I like this one," she said with certainty.

"Okay, so now what?"

Lindsay brandished the hand saw supplied by the tree farm owner. "Now, we cut it down."

"Easy, Montana, you'd better let me handle that," Danny offered, extending his hand, but Lindsay clutched onto the saw possessively.

"What, because I'm a girl?" she chided. "How about we each take a side?"

"Deal." Danny squatted down to inspect the width of the trunk, then jerked his hand back in disgust. "Ugh. Sap!"

"I think a little sappiness is cute." Lindsay knelt next to him, firmly gripping one handle of the saw as he took the other.

For ten minutes they sawed back and forth, making little progress. Push, pull, push, pull. The knees of their pants were becoming soaked with melted snow. The only sounds were the grunts of effort and the slicing of the saw, until the rumble of an approaching motor punctuated the near-silence. Like a mythical mountain-man, out of the fog emerged one of the farmhands on an all-terrain vehicle.

"Stand back," he commanded, whipping out a power chainsaw. In a flurry of wood chips, the saw busted through the trunk and sent the pine toppling over. The man instructed them where to drag the tree for baling, then took off.

"I thought it's supposed to be all romantic and nature-loving, cutting down your own tree, but they don't even give you the chance," Danny huffed indignantly. "We were making progress." They each took a branch and began to drag their prize.

Lindsay smiled as they walked, warming at the image behind her of four footprints in the dusty snow. Hers and Danny's. _Together_. "So this is our Christmas gift to each other, right? Instead of stressing out over actual presents?"

"The tree?" Danny asked.

"Well, _this_. You know, celebrating. Doing stuff together." She reached over to poke him. "That way you don't have to shell out money for diamonds."

His response was a snort, and they gingerly continued tugging their chosen tree towards the building that served as the farm's headquarters. Dozens of other New Yorkers had made the journey to get their own towering monument of holiday tradition. Inside, the aroma or hot spiced cider mingled with that of fresh evergreen. Danny and Lindsay watched as their tree was put through a cylindrical machine, which clattered and whirred as it wrapped the tree into a tight bundle with twine.

"You're my hero for snagging the lab pickup," Lindsay said. Danny had used the truck to drive across town to deliver paperwork to Flack, then conveniently stopped to pick up Lindsay. After getting the tree to her apartment, he would return the truck back to the lab.

It slid into the bed easily; leaving no need for strapping it down. "We have to make sure every trace of pine needles is outta here," he warned. "Or Mac will have _both_ our heads."

Lindsay spent much of the drive back to her apartment staring out the rear window of the pickup, gasping as the tree shifted at every bump and turn. Fortunately, a parking spot was available just outside her building, and they were able to finagle the fir through the front doors without incident. Next challenge: the stairway.

Danny took the heavier trunk end of the tree, while Lindsay held the top half steady as they ascended. They nearly jabbed one of Lindsay's neighbors as they blindly rounded the corner to the second flight of steps.

"Hi, Mrs. Winston!" Lindsay smiled sweetly, as if shimmying a six-foot tree up the stairs was an everyday occurrence. When she saw the familiar "203" of her front door, she couldn't have been more relieved… or exhausted.

"Umph," Danny muttered, shifting the weight of the tree from his right arm to his left while Lindsay unlocked the door. "There won't be any needles left on this thing."

Inside, they stumbled towards the Christmas tree stand Lindsay had set up earlier. It took three awkward, stabbing motions to get it inserted correctly.

"I got it in," Danny panted. "Now let's screw."

Both blushed and stifled laughter at the connotation of his words, then set to work busily twisting in the metal prongs which would secure the tree in an upright position.

"Let me take a look," Lindsay said, "and see if it needs to be straightened." She crossed to the over side of the room, critiquing the balance. "Hmm, it's a little crooked. Tilt it more to the left… no, not that far. Now go back to the right. There! Perfect!"

The towering pine had made it safely to its destination, filling the small apartment with its clean scent. As they stood side by side, Danny's arm resting comfortably around her waist, Lindsay spoke up. "I forgot to put 'decorating' on the list," she mused. "I don't have any ornaments."

"Well we can't just have a bare-assed tree," Danny pointed out. "Surely we can find something to spruce it up."

"Some pinecones," she suggested thoughtfully. "String popcorn. What else could we use?"

"Evidence swabs? My kit's still out in the truck."

Lindsay grinned. "Perfect."

Indeed, it was turning into the perfect Christmas.

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_Up next: Bells on Bobtails_


	4. Bells on Bobtails

**A/N: **Sorry for the delay, the holidays were a bit crazy of course. This will be complete soon - just one more chapter after this one. :) The bunnies are protesting mightily, and need a respite.**  
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**Bells on Bobtails**

"Hold up, buddy. This is going to cost me _how_ much?"

Danny glared at Lindsay as he asked the sleigh driver about his fees. The cost of such an excursion was simply outrageous. She, however, was too busy to notice his tantrum – she had discovered the two Belgian mares hitched nearby and was stroking their velvety pink noses.

'Sleigh ride' was number seventeen on her list. As Christmas rapidly approached, the numbers were being crossed off one by one. Most had been fairly easy, Danny had to admit. Ten through thirteen had included, respectively: addressing Christmas cards, sneaking a sprig of mistletoe above the door of Mac's office, making eggnog (but not necessarily _drinking_ it), and having their photo taken at the Rockefeller Christmas tree.

"It's worse than a damn taxi," Danny grumbled, forking over several choice bills to the driver. He whistled at Lindsay, who was still entranced by their equine guides. "Let's go, Montana. He's probably got a meter running on this thing," he complained as he hopped up into the sleigh, nearly twisting his ankle in the process.

Lindsay gave each horse one last pat, then took Danny's hand as he helped her up onto the cushioned seat next to him. It was much cozier than the wooden slabs she remembered sitting on as a child. Still, this experience was already unleashing a stream of memories. She could almost feel the warm thermos of hot cocoa in her grip, or smell the leather of the harnesses. Montana may have been over a thousand miles away; but tonight, Lindsay felt at home.

"Mmph," she muttered as she settled in beside Danny. "This is so exciting." It was bitterly cold tonight, so the heat generated from the contact of their bodies was not only pleasurable, but necessary. As she gazed up at him, she felt intensely grateful to have him in her life. Although he obviously was not excited for this venture, he _was_ willing to sacrifice his urban preferences for her.

With a light flick of the driver's reins, they were off. The gold bells on the horses' harnesses tinkled with every clop of their hooves, like a band in perfect rhythm. As they gained speed, Lindsay tilted her head back to look at the stars, light snow stinging at her face as the heavens whizzed by.

"Danny, this is amazing!" she laughed. Her mitten-clad hand was clamped to his arm, and Danny couldn't help grinning as he watched her giddiness. Her hair blew in every direction, sparkling from the flurries which had settled there like flakes of glitter.

"You happy?" he asked.

Lindsay beamed, leaning against his shoulder. "I am. Are you?"

"If you are, I am. All I wanted was for you to have a happy Christmas."

She wriggled in a bit closer to him. "It worked," she whispered, wishing she had a video camera to record this moment to play over and over.

Wearing smiles of contentment, they settled into a comfortable silence and enjoyed their surroundings. Central Park was glistening in its wintered beauty: multi-colored lights were draped over the bare tree branches, and even though it was dark, everything seemed illuminated by the thin crust of snow covering the ground. Lots of people were out and about – bundled in hats and scarves and coats, some toting sleds, some in other sleighs, some just strolling along.

"I almost forget I'm in the city," Lindsay sighed dreamily. "It reminds me of when I was a kid back in Montana. My dad used to hitch up two of our geldings, and take my friends and I on a Christmas Eve sunset ride." Her voice trailed off suddenly, a note of sheer sadness lingering in the breath she took.

Danny put his arm around her, brushing her chin tenderly with his gloved finger. "Hey," he murmured, bringing her face towards his for a soft kiss. "None of that, now."

Lindsay's face brightened suddenly as, over his shoulder, she spotted what was a true landmark in their relationship.

"The Central Park Zoo!"

She dissolved into laughter as she pointed out the sign. Where they had first met… where it had all started. It occurred to Lindsay how knowing him had brought her thrills and joys not unlike the ones she was experiencing on this jaunt: exhilaration, comfort, and delicious bliss. Her Christmas list had somehow managed to bring them even closer, make this holiday much sweeter. Items fourteen, fifteen, and sixteen had truly deepened her feelings for him: they had gone ice skating, sung along with _every_ Christmas song on the way to work, and burned candles in the window each night.

"You think the tiger's still there?" Lindsay inquired. "Our four-legged feline matchmaker."

"I'm sure he's still there, unless he ate someone else," Danny cracked. "We should go visit him, reintroduce ourselves."

The zoo was soon left in their icy dust as they trotted on along the route. They didn't talk much for the remainder of the ride, but instead just savored the scenery… and each other's company. The lights of countless, towering buildings seemed so remote, so unreachable, as if Danny and Lindsay existed merely in a snow globe paperweight on someone's desk. Tonight, it was their own little word.

And yet, far too quickly, the sleigh arrived back at its starting point, where a line of people stood waiting for their turn. The driver slowed the horses, then halted them with a tightening of the reins and a soft "_whoa_". Their nostrils flared and puffs of their breath escaped into the chilly air like cloudbursts.

"Oh, no! That's it? It's over?" Lindsay's look of sheer disappointment gave Danny an idea. He reached for his wallet, handing several bills across the seat to the driver. It was only money, after all. This experience had proven to be priceless.

"Keep going," he commanded.

As the harness bells began to jingle once again, Lindsay rewarded Danny with one kiss. Then two. Then three. Then four. Then…

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_Up next, the conclusion: Lights of Every Color _


	5. Epilogue Lights of Every Color

**A/N:** At last, the final installment. I have been lacking inspiration, so the plot bunnies are going into a semi-hibernation after this. I'll see you around at DLchem dot net. Notifications don't appear to be working, so I hadn't realized anyone reviewed the last chapter, lol. Thank you for reading! **  
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**Epilogue - Lights of Every Color**

Lindsay and Danny were naked.

Entangled in each others limbs, covered with a fleece blanket, lying under the Christmas tree in her apartment. It was late in the evening on Christmas day, their very first holiday spent together, and their list was officially finished. The last items - numbers eighteen through twenty-two - included watching the archaic animation of _Rudolph_, calling up family members, sharing stories of their best and worst gifts ever, attending midnight mass, and building a snowman. In truth, there wasn't sufficient snow to build a snowman, so they settled and used cotton balls. All that remained was number twenty-three.

Now, Lindsay smiled as she watched the reflection of the colored lights dance across Danny's chiseled chest. Their glow was nothing, however, compared to the brilliant flush on his cheeks. For a moment, she considered inquiring about his health. One day, they were going to injure themselves this way.

"You alright?" she asked lightly, reaching over to smooth back his damp hair.

He murmured something inaudible, then shifted to look at her. "Was that on the list?" he asked, referring to their sub-arboreal passion.

Lindsay laughed. "I suppose it could pass for twenty-three," she admitted. "I wrote '_make our own unique holiday tradition_'."

Danny nodded thoughtfully. "So we'll just change it to, '_make it under the Christmas tree'_."

"You can consider it your Christmas gift, too… unless you want to return to sender," she joked.

"Actually, I was hoping it's one of those gifts that 'keeps on giving'." He placed a series of soft kisses just behind her ear. "All year long… over and over."

He stopped suddenly, however, his arm fumbling under the tree for a package that was hidden behind the lower branches. Danny produced a small, long box wrapped in red paper and garnished with a glittering gold bow, which he handed to her.

Lindsay shook her head, frowning stubbornly. "Danny, we agreed – no gifts."

"Just open it already," he prodded. "It's nothing big."

Lindsay conceded with a sigh, carefully and tentatively unwrapping the box and opening the lid as Danny watched impatiently.

"What the…?" She glanced at a bundle of five gray sticks, tied together with a ribbon. "Uh. graphite pencils?" she asked curiously. "But I'm not an artist."

"Graphite. In other words, carbon!" Danny announced proudly. When Lindsay stared blankly back at him, he continued to explain. "The closest to a diamond you can get. Only one allotrope… remember? So technically, I'm giving you a diamond. Almost."

Lindsay grinned and rolled her eyes. _Well, he is creative_, she thought.

"There's one more thing," he told her. She noticed a piece of folded crème-colored paper beneath the pencils. As she opened it up, she instantly recognized Danny's neat, tech-geek handwriting.

"I made a list of my own. My own twenty-three things," he said softly, as she began to read:

_Gifts You've Given Me_

_A taste for insects_

_Putting up with me_

_More sexiness than a Suicide Girl. In green stiletto boots. Coated in cherry syrup._

_A breath of country air in the city smog_

_A liking for jazz music_

_Belief – in me_

_A ride home that led to so much more_

_Sentimental crap_

_Tears, both happy and sad_

_New uses for icing_

_A lift. Oh wait, that was you who needed a "lift"._

_Games of touch football_

_A lesson in patience_

_How cute you look in my shirts_

_Your smile (even if it cost me fifty bucks to stare at two horses' asses for an hour)_

_A reason to be a better person_

_Inappropriate looks and thoughts at work_

_Appreciation for wheat fields. Even if I've never seen them._

_Letting me leave a toothbrush at your place_

_Sap. Lots of it._

_Distraction at crime scenes_

_New holiday traditions_

_More colors than all the Christmas lights in the world_

Lindsay's eyes misted over as she realized that the list in her hand was the best possible thing anyone could ever give her. Who wanted diamonds, anyway?

"You… This is... I... Did you... _Wow_." She was too breathless, too speechless, to voice her appreciation and the mutual feelings welling within her. Her eyes alternated between the man beside her, and the paper in her hand. Danny pulled her close, rubbing his thumb up and down over her inner forearm in a smooth, comforting rhythm.

"You know, Lindsay," he murmured softly. "I can't change what happened to you before, but I _can_ promise to make your future a hell of a lot better."

Such a vow was everything that she wanted; exactly what she needed. In that moment, with the spirit of giving and love and warmth surrounding them, the flickering glow of the tree above them, only two words could come to her.

"Merry Christmas."

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_And a happy new year to all D/L shippers out there - may 2007 be filled with wonderful moments!_


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